Initiator, inflator, and airbag apparatus

ABSTRACT

An initiator includes an initiator main body, a connecting portion attached to the initiator main body, and a harness for distributing power connected to the initiator main body via the connecting portion. A hooking portion is attached to the initiator main body. The hooking portion hooks a middle portion of the harness in an extending direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT

The present invention relates to an initiator in which a harness fordistributing power or electricity is connected to a main body of theinitiator via a connecting portion such as an electrode, a connector, orthe like, and to an inflator provided with the initiator. Morespecifically, it relates to an initiator and an inflator, in whichoutrageous force is hardly applied to the connecting portion of theinitiator main body and the harness even when tensile force is appliedto the harness. Further, the present invention relates to an airbagapparatus provided with the inflator.

An airbag apparatus mounted on a motor vehicle or the like is providedwith an airbag inflated by gas supplied into the inside of the same, andan inflator for supplying the gas into the airbag. The inflator isprovided with a gas-generating agent and an initiator for initiatinggas-generating reaction of the gas-generating agent.

The initiator is provided with a reaction agent, an ignition device fora starting reaction of the reaction agent, and a harness fordistributing power to the ignition device.

By distributing the power to the ignition device via the harness, thereaction agent is ignited, which results in generating high-temperaturereaction gas, and the gas-generating agent in the inflator startsgas-generating reaction by the reaction gas. Therefore, a large amountof gas is generated from the inflator, and the airbag is inflated by thegas.

As a connecting structure for connecting the harness to a main body ofthe initiator, it is known that an electrode pin, which is conducted tothe ignition device, is extended from the main body of the initiator,and the harness is connected to the electrode pin (refer to, forexample, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.2002-90097). In this case, a connector is provided at a tip end of theharness, and the harness is connected to the electrode pin in a mannerso as to insert the electrode pin into the connector.

An example of such an initiator will be explained more in detail withreference to FIG. 5. Incidentally, FIG. 5 is a longitudinalcross-sectional view, which illustrates an initiator according to ahitherto known example and a vicinity of an initiator-attaching portionof the inflator provided with the initiator under a condition where theinitiator is attached to the inflator.

An initiator 10A is provided with a main body 20 of the initiator, aboutcylindrical collar 30, that holds the main body 20 of the initiator, aresin 40 that joins the main body 20 of the initiator with the collar30, a harness 50 that distributes the power to the main body 20 of theinitiator, and so forth.

The main body 20 of the initiator is provided with a head portion 21housing the reaction agent and the ignition device (both of which arenot shown) inside thereof, and an electrode pin 22 extending from thehead portion 21. The electrode pin 22 is conducted to the ignitiondevice in the head portion 21.

The collar 30 is provided with a main body 31 having a cylindricalshape, an inwardly protruding flange portion 32 that iscircumferentially formed on an inner peripheral surface of the main body31, and a cylindrical surrounding wall portion 33 extending from one endside (rear end side) of the main body 31. A diameter of an outercircumference of the main body 31 is formed to be greater than that ofthe surrounding wall portion 33.

The initiator main body 20 is disposed in the main body 31, and theelectrode pin 22 extends in the surrounding wall portion 33, whilepassing through an inner hole of the inwardly protruding flange portion32. The resin 40 is filled in a space between the main body 20 of theinitiator and the inner peripheral surface of the main body 31, and aninside of the inner hole of the inwardly protruding flange portion 32 byan injection molding process or the like. The resin 40 is then hardened,and the initiator main body 20 and the collar 30 are joined by thehardened resin 40.

A connector 51 is provided at a tip end of the harness 50, and theconnector 51 is connected to the electrode pin 22 in a manner so as toinsert a tip end side of the connector 51 into an inside of thesurrounding wall portion 33. That is, in this hitherto known example, aconnecting portion for connecting the main body 20 of the initiator andthe harness 50 is constructed with the electrode pin 22 and theconnector 51.

Numeral 52 denotes a claw. The claw prevents the connector 51 from beingpulled out. The claw 52 is latched to a groove (numeral is omitted)formed in an inner peripheral surface of the surrounding wall portion33, which prevents the connector 51 from being pulled out from theelectrode 22. The initiator 10A is attached to an inflator 9A.

In the hitherto known example, the inflator 9A is formed into a rodshape, and is provided with a cylindrical housing 9 a housing thegas-generating agent (not shown). At one end side (rear end side) of thehousing 9 a in a center axis direction, an initiator-attaching portion 9b is provided. The initiator-attaching portion 9 b has approximatelycylindrical shape having an inner hole 9 c that is allowed tocommunicate with an internal space of the housing 9 a. At the other endside (tip end side) of the housing 9 a, a gas outlet (not shown) isprovided.

The initiator 10A is inserted into the inner hole 9 c of theinitiator-attaching portion 9 b, with the head portion 21 as the leadingend. In addition, a rear end side of the initiator-attaching portion 9 bis crimped and is brought to contact an outer peripheral surface of thecollar 30. Therefore, the initiator 10A is fixed in theinitiator-attaching portion 9 b and the rear end side of theinitiator-attaching portion 9 b is tightly sealed.

When the power is distributed to the ignition device via the harness 50,the connector 51 and the electrode pin 22, an operation of the ignitiondevice is started resulting in igniting the reaction agent. Thus, ahigh-temperature reaction gas is generated. The reaction gas flows intothe housing 9 a passing through the inner hole 9 c of theinitiator-attaching portion 9 b after rupturing the head portion 21.Therefore, the reaction gas is caused to contact the gas-generatingagent in the housing 9 a, and the gas-generating reaction is started.

An object of the present invention is to provide an initiator and aninflator provided with the initiator, and an airbag apparatus providedwith the inflator, in which the harness for distributing power isconnected to the initiator main body via a connecting portion such as anelectrode, a connector or the like, and unreasonable force is hardlyapplied to the connecting portion of the main body of the initiator andthe harness even when tensile force is applied to the harness.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the first aspect of the present invention, an initiator isformed such that a hooking portion in which a middle portion of theharness in an extending direction is hooked is provided on an initiatormain body in the initiator in which the harness for distributing poweris connected to the main body of the initiator via a connecting portion.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in theinitiator according to the first aspect of the present invention, acylindrically shaped cap is provided in a manner so as to surround theconnecting portion, and the hooking portion is provided on the cap.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the initiatoraccording to the first and second aspects, a sealing portion forcovering the connecting portion is provided.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in theinitiator according to the third aspect of the present invention, theconnecting portion includes an electrode provided in the initiator mainbody and a connector into which the harness extends, and the connectoris connected to the electrode, and the sealing portion is provided in amanner so as to cover at least a space between the connector and theinitiator main body.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, an inflatorincludes the initiator according to any one of the first aspect throughthe fourth aspect of the present invention.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, in the inflatorprovided with the initiator, the harness for distributing power isconnected to the initiator main body via the connecting portion, and thehooking portion on which a middle portion of the harness in an extendingdirection is hooked is provided on an outer surface of the inflator.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, an airbagapparatus is provided with an airbag and an inflator for inflating theairbag, wherein the inflator is the inflator according to the fifthaspect of the invention and the sixth aspect of the invention.

As described above, the present invention has the following advantages.In the initiator and the inflator according to the present invention(first and fifth aspect of the present invention), since the middleportion of the harness in an extending direction is hooked on theinitiator main body by the hooking portion in the vicinity of theconnecting portion of the harness and the initiator main body, thetensile force is hardly transmitted to the connecting portion even whenthe tensile force is applied to the harness and thereby undesirableforce is hardly applied to the connecting portion.

As described in the second aspect of the present invention, by mountingthe cap so as to surround the connecting portion of the initiator mainbody and the harness, and by providing the hooking portion on the capand hooking the harness thereon, a protecting effect for the connectingportion is improved.

In a configuration according to the third aspect of the invention, sincethe connecting portion of the initiator main body and the harness fordistributing power is sealed by means of the sealing portion, awaterproofing property of the connecting portion is good.

As described in the fourth aspect of the invention, in case that theconnecting portion includes the electrode provided in the initiator mainbody and the connector attached to the harness, and that the connectingportion has a structure where the connector is connected to theelectrode, the waterproofing property becomes good by sealing at least aspace between the initiator main body and the connector with the sealingportion.

In the inflator according to the sixth aspect of the present invention,since the middle portion of the harness in the extending direction ishooked on the outer surface of the inflator by the hooking portion inthe vicinity of the connecting portion of the harness and the initiatormain body, the tensile force is hardly transmitted to the connectingportion, so that the undesirable force is hardly applied to theconnecting portion even when tensile force is applied to the harness.

In the airbag apparatus according to the seventh aspect of the presentinvention, the hooking portion for the harness is provided in theinitiator or the inflator in which the initiator is attached, and theharness is hooked on the hooking portion. Accordingly, the undesirableforce is hardly applied to the connecting portion of the harness and theinitiator main body when the tensile force is applied to the harness,even though the hooking portion for the harness is not separatelyprovided on, for example, a case or the like for housing the airbagapparatus. Further, the flexibility of the layout for the airbagapparatus for protecting a pedestrian is improved because there is noneed to separately provide the hooking portion for the harness on thecase for housing the airbag apparatus as described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an initiator and a vicinity ofan initiator-attaching portion of an inflator provided with theinitiator, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an automobile, on which anairbag apparatus for protecting a pedestrian is mounted, according tothe embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating the airbag apparatus for protecting apedestrian, in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a hitherto known initiator anda vicinity of an initiator-attaching portion of an inflator providedwith the initiator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereunder, embodiments of the present invention will be explained withreference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating aninitiator according to the embodiment and a vicinity of aninitiator-attaching portion of an inflator provided with the initiator,and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.Incidentally, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a condition in which theinitiator is attached to the inflator. Further, FIG. 3 is a perspectiveview illustrating an automobile where an airbag apparatus for protectinga pedestrian provided with the inflator is mounted. FIG. 4 is a planview illustrating the airbag apparatus for protecting a pedestrian. Inaddition, FIGS. 3 and 4 are illustrating a condition in which the airbagis inflated.

In an explanation described below, a tip-and-rear direction is conformedto an upper and lower direction of FIGS. 1 and 2; an inflator side ofthe initiator, i.e., a lower side of the drawing is defined as a tipend; and a side opposite to the inflator side of the initiator, i.e., anupper side of the drawing is defined as a rear end.

An initiator 10 according to this embodiment is provided with aninitiator main body 20, an approximately cylindrical collar 30 thatholds the initiator main body 20, a resin 40 that joins the initiatormain body 20 with the collar 30, a harness 50 that distributes power tothe initiator main body 20, a hooking portion 62 for hooking a middleportion of the harness 50, and so forth.

A construction of the initiator main body 20, the collar 30, the resin40, the harness 50, and the connecting portion for connecting theinitiator main body 20 and the harness 50, in the initiator 10 isidentical to those of the initiator 10A in FIG. 5, described above.

Namely, in this embodiment, the initiator main body 20 includes the headportion 21 housing a reaction agent and an ignition device (both ofwhich are not shown) inside thereof, and the electrode pin 22 thatextends from the head portion 21 and conducts to the ignition device inthe head portion 21, as well. The initiator main body 20 is disposed ina main body 31 of the collar 30, and the electrode pin 22 extends froman inside of a surrounding wall portion 33 of a rear end side of themain body 31 while passing through an inner hole of an inwardlyprotruding flange portion 32 that is circumferentially formed in themain body 31. The resin 40 is filled in a space between the initiatormain body 20 and the inner peripheral surface of the main body 31, andinside the inner hole of the inwardly protruding flange portion 32 by aninjection molding process or the like. The resin 40 is then hardened, sothat the initiator main body 20 and the collar 30 are joined by thehardened resin 40.

Further, a connector 51 is provided at a tip end of the harness 50, andthe connector 51 is connected to the electrode pin 22 in a manner so asto insert a tip end side of the connector 51 into an inside of thesurrounding wall portion 33. That is, in this embodiment, a connectingmember for connecting the initiator main body 20 and the harness 50 isconstructed with the electrode pin 22 and the connector 51.

In this embodiment, the initiator 10 is also attached to the rod-shapedinflator 9. A construction of the inflator 9 is identical to theinflator 9A, shown in FIG. 5, described above. Furthermore, an attachingstructure of the initiator 10 to the inflator 9 is also identical to theattaching structure of the initiator 10A to the inflator 9A, shown inFIG. 5.

Namely, the inflator 9 also includes a cylindrical housing 9 a thathouses a gas-generating agent (not shown), and the initiator-attachingportion 9 b having approximately cylindrical shape and including aninner hole 9 c communicating with an internal space of the housing 9 ais provided at one end side (rear end side) of the housing 9 a in acenter axis direction. At the other end side (tip end side) of thehousing 9 a, a gas outlet 9 d (shown in FIG. 4) is provided.

The initiator 10 is inserted into the inner hole 9 c of theinitiator-attaching portion 9 b, with the head portion 21 as the leadingend. In addition, a rear end side of the initiator-attaching portion 9 bis crimped and is brought to contact the outer peripheral surface of thecollar 30. Therefore, the initiator 10 is fixed in theinitiator-attaching portion 9 b and the rear end side of theinitiator-attaching portion 9 b is tightly sealed.

In this embodiment, a cap 60 surrounding a joining body of the electrodepin 22 and the connector 51 is mounted at a rear end side of theinitiator 10. A sealing portion 61, which covers the joining body of theelectrode pin 22 and the connector 51, is formed by filling a pottingmaterial in the cap 60 from an opening 60 a at an upper surface of thecap 60.

Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, a tip end side ofthe cap 60 is fitted to the outer side of the initiator-attachingportion 9 b, and the potting material is also filled in a space betweenan inner peripheral surface of the cap 60 and an outer peripheralsurface of the initiator-attaching portion 9 b, and the space betweenboth is sealed with the sealing portion 61. Further, the pottingmaterial is also filled in a space between an inner peripheral surfaceof the surrounding wall portion 33 and the connector 51.

In this embodiment, the entire connector 51 is buried in the sealingportion 61, and the harness 50 extending to the connector 51 is pulledout of the cap 60 from an inside of the sealing portion 61 passingthrough the opening 60 a.

However, in the present invention, when at least a space between theconnector 51 and the initiator main body 20 (a space between theconnector 51 and the inner surface of the surrounding wall portion 33 inthis embodiment), and preferably, a joining portion of the connector 51and the harness 50 (a base portion of the harness 50 to the connector51) are further covered with the sealing portion 61, a waterproofingproperty is sufficiently secured, and therefore, there is no need forthe entire connector 51 to be buried in the sealing portion 61.

Incidentally, with regard to the potting material, although urethaneresin or the like is listed, the potting material is not limitedthereto. Further, with regard to a material of the cap 60, a PBT(polybutylene terephthalate) or the like is listed because of goodjoining characteristic with the potting material. However, the materialof the cap 60 is not limited thereto. In the present invention, thesealing portion 61 may be formed from a sealing device other than thepotting material.

As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the hook-shaped hooking portion62 is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the cap 60. The middleportion of the harness 50 that is pulled out of the cap 60 is hooked onthe hooking portion 62. Although the hooking portion 62 is integrallyprovided with the cap 60 in this embodiment, the same may be provided asa separate body from the cap 60. Further, the hooking portion 62 is notlimited to that having the hook-like shape and various constructions canbe adopted therefor.

Other construction of the initiator 10 and the inflator 9 provided withthe initiator 10 is identical to that of the initiator 10A and theinflator 9A, shown in FIG. 5, described earlier, and an explanationthereof is omitted by attaching the same numerals in FIG. 5 to the sameelements in FIGS. 1 and 2.

When the power is distributed to the ignition device via the harness 50,the connector 51 and the electrode pin 22, an operation of the ignitiondevice is started resulting in igniting the reaction agent, and thus, ahigh-temperature reaction gas is generated. The reaction gas flows intothe housing 9 a passing through the inner hole 9 c of theinitiator-attaching portion 9 b after rupturing the head portion 21. Thereaction gas is caused to contact the gas-generating agent in thehousing 9 a, and the gas-generating reaction is started. Further, thegas generated by the gas generating reaction is blown out from the gasoutlet 9 d at the tip end side of the inflator 9. Hereinbelow, anoperation from a starting motion of the power distribution to theinitiator 10 (ignition device) to a blowing-out motion of the gas fromthe gas outlet 9 d is called as gas blowing-out operation of theinflator 9.

In the initiator 10 and the inflator 9, since the middle portion of theharness 50 is hooked by the hooking portion 62 to the cap 60 surroundingthe joining body of the electrode 22 and the connector 51, tensile forceis hardly transmitted to the connector 51 and thereby undesirable forceis hardly applied to the joining body of the electrode pin 22 and theconnector 51 even when the tensile force is applied to the harness 50.

In this embodiment, since the joining body of the electrode pin 22 andthe connector 51 is covered with the sealing portion 61, the goodwaterproofing property can be obtained in between the electrode pin 22and the connector 51.

In this embodiment, the cylindrical cap 60 is provided in a manner so asto surround the joining body of the electrode pin 22 and the connector51, and the sealing portion 61 for covering the joining body of theconnector 51 and the electrode pin 22 is formed by filling the pottingmaterial inside the cap 60. Accordingly, a highly effective waterprooftreatment can easily be performed.

In this embodiment, the hooking portion 62 is provided on the outerperipheral surface of the cap 60, and the harness 50 is hooked on theouter peripheral surface of the cap 60 by means of the hooking portion62 in close proximity to a portion where the harness 50 extends from thesealing portion 61. Accordingly, even when the tensile force is appliedto the harness 50, the tensile force is hardly transmitted to a portionin the harness 50 that extends inside the cap 60, and the harness 50 canbe prevented from being peeled off from the sealing portion 61 thatcovers this portion, or the sealing portion 61 can also be preventedfrom being ruptured by the tensile force.

In this embodiment, the inflator 9 is mounted on an airbag apparatus 4for protecting a pedestrian.

As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, an automobile 1, on which theairbag apparatus 4 for protecting a pedestrian is mounted, is afour-door sedan. However, the present invention is not limited to aspecific motor vehicle configuration. The airbag apparatus 4 isinstalled at a rear part of a hood 3. As shown in the drawing, when theairbag 5 of the airbag apparatus 4 for protecting a pedestrian isinflated, at least a part of a rear edge portion of the hood 3, a cowllouver 2, a windshield 6 and left and right A-pillars 7 are covered withthe airbag 5.

Incidentally, the airbag 5 is formed into approximately U-shape and isprovided with a cowl-covering portion 5 a which covers the cowl louver 2and a lower part of the windshield 6, and pillar covering portions 5 bwhich extends to both left and right end sides of the cowl-coveringportion 5 a and covers at least a lower end side of the left and rightA-pillars 7 while developing along each of the A-pillars 7. However, adeveloping shape of the airbag is not limited to the above-described.For example, the airbag 5 may have approximately rectangular shapecovering approximately entire body over the cowl louver 2, thewindshield 6 and the A-pillars 7. Alternatively, the airbag 5 may haveapproximately H-shape or the like including a pair of fender-coveringportions extending frontward in a manner so as to cover over the leftand right end sides of the cowl-covering portion 5 a and left and rightfender portions.

The airbag apparatus 4 for protecting a pedestrian is provided with acase 8 for housing a folded airbag 5, the inflator 9 (9L and 9R) forinflating the airbag 5, a lid (not shown) that closes an airbagpassing-through opening (not shown) in the hood 3 for allowing theairbag 5 to pass therethrough, or the like.

The case 8 has a long box shape extending in a vehicle body widthdirection. The case 8 is provided with a bottom portion 8 a, a frontwall portion 8 b, a rear wall portion 8 c and left and right end walls 8d and 8 d, and a top surface thereof is open. The case 8 is disposed ata backside of the hood 3 so that a top surface opening portion thereoffaces the airbag passing-through opening, and is attached to the hood 3via a bracket (not shown).

In this case 8, the folded body of the airbag 5 is disposed from one endside to the other end side of the case 8 in a longitudinal direction.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, inflators 9 (9L and 9R) areinstalled at both end sides of the case 8 in a longitudinal direction,respectively. The inflator 9L positioned at a left end side of the case8 is arranged at a left half side of the cowl-covering portion 5 a ofthe airbag 5, and the inflator 9R positioned at a right end side of thecase 8 is arranged at a right half side of the cowl-covering portion 5a. As shown in the drawing, a longitudinal direction of each of theinflators 9L and 9R is conformed to the longitudinal direction of thecase 8, and each of the inflators 9L and 9R is disposed in a manner suchthat each of tip end (gas outlet 9 d) sides thereof faces both end sidesof the case 8 in the longitudinal direction.

However, the arrangement of the inflator 9 is not limited to theabove-described. The harness 50 extending out from the initiator 10 ofeach of the inflators 9 is pulled out from the airbag 5, respectively,and is connected to a control circuit (not shown) of the airbagapparatus 4 for protecting a pedestrian.

Although not shown, in the automobile 1 on which the airbag apparatus 4for protecting a pedestrian is mounted, various sensors are provided fordetecting that the automobile 1 has collided against a pedestrian or thelike, or for predicting that the automobile 1 will collide against thepedestrian or the like. Incidentally, both the detecting sensor and thepredicting sensor may also be provided. The control circuit distributespower to the initiator 10 (the above-described ignition device) of eachof the inflators 9 via the harness 50, on the basis of a detectingsignal or a predicting signal from these sensors.

Operation of the airbag apparatus 4 for protecting a pedestrian havingsuch a construction is described as follows.

In a case that a collision of the automobile 1 against the pedestrian orthe like is detected by the sensor, or in a case that the collision ofthe automobile 1 against the pedestrian or the like is predicted by thesensor, the power is distributed to the initiator 10 (ignition device)of each of the inflators 9 from the control circuit via the harness 50,on the basis of the detecting signal or the predicting signal.Therefore, each of the inflators 9 starts a gas-blowing-out operation asdescribed above, and the airbag 5 starts to inflate by the gas from eachof the inflators 9. The airbag 5 pushes the above-described lid to openand is developed along an outer surface of the vehicle body, as shown inFIG. 3.

In the airbag apparatus 4 for protecting a pedestrian, since the middleportion in an extending direction of the harness 50 connected to theinitiator 10 is hooked on the cap 60 attached to the inflator 9 by thehooking portion 62, the undesirable force is hardly applied to thejoining body of the electrode pin 22 and the connector 51 when thetensile force is applied to the harness 50, even though a hookingportion for hooking the harness 50 is not provided on, for example, thecase 8 or the like. Further, since there is no need to provide thehooking portion for the harness 50 on the case 8 or the like, highflexibility of a layout can be obtained for the airbag apparatus 4 forprotecting a pedestrian.

Although the airbag apparatus 4 for protecting a pedestrian is installedoutside a vehicle interior, the joining body of the electrode pin 22 andthe harness 51 is covered with the sealing portion 61 in the initiator10 of the inflator 9 mounted on the airbag apparatus 4 for protecting apedestrian in this embodiment, and thus, an intrusion of rain water orthe like into a space therebetween is prevented and therefore weatherproof ability of the initiator 10 is high.

The aforementioned embodiment describes an example of the presentinvention, and the present invention is not limited to theaforementioned embodiment.

In the aforementioned embodiment, although the hooking portion 62 forthe harness 50 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cap 60surrounding the electrode pin 22 and the connector 51, the hookingportion 62 for the harness 50 may be provided on a top portion, an innerperipheral portion, or the like of the cap 60. Further, the hookingportion 62 for the harness 50 may be provided at a place of theinitiator 10 or the inflator 9 other than the above-described (forexample, at the collar 30 of the initiator 10, the initiator-attachingportion 9 b of the inflator 9, or the like). The hooking portion 62 forthe harness 50 may be provided at a plurality of places.

In the aforementioned embodiment, although the sealing portion 61 isformed in a manner so as to fill in the cap 60 with the pottingmaterial, a method for forming the sealing portion 61 is not limitedthereto. For example, the sealing portion 61 may be formed only at animportant part, by directly applying a sealing material to at least thespace between the connector 51 and the surrounding wall portion 33,preferably, to the joining portion of the harness 50 and the connector51 further, or like manner. However, in the present invention, thesealing portion 61 may be omitted.

A detailed construction of the initiator 10 (the initiator main body 20,a shape of the collar 30, a holding structure thereof, or the like) maybe changed to a structure other than that illustrated in the drawings.

An attaching structure of the initiator 10 to the inflator 9 may bechanged to a structure other than that illustrated in the drawings.

A construction of the inflator 9 is not also limited to that illustratedabove. For example, the inflator 9 may not have a rod shape but a diskshape, or the like.

In the aforementioned embodiment, although the cap 60 also covers theinitiator-attaching portion 9 b of the inflator 9, the cap 60 may have aconstruction that covers only the joining body of the electrode pin 22and the connector 51. In the present invention, the cap 60 may beomitted.

In the aforementioned embodiment, although the airbag apparatus is madefor protecting a pedestrian, the present invention is not limitedthereto and can be applied to various airbag apparatuses, such as anairbag apparatus for protecting an occupant that is installed in thevehicle interior, or the like.

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-136633, filed onMay 16, 2006, is incorporated in the application.

While the invention has been explained with reference to the specificembodiments of the invention, the explanation is illustrative and theinvention is limited only by the appended claims.

1. An initiator comprising: an initiator main body, a connecting portionattached to the initiator main body, a harness for distributing powerconnected to the initiator main body via the connecting portion, and ahooking portion attached to the initiator main body, said hookingportion hooking a middle portion of the harness in an extendingdirection.
 2. The initiator according to claim 1, further comprising acylindrically shaped cap for surrounding the connecting portion, thehooking portion being provided on the cap.
 3. The initiator according toclaim 1, further comprising a sealing portion for covering theconnecting portion.
 4. The initiator according to claim 3, wherein theconnecting portion includes an electrode provided in the initiator mainbody and a connector from which the harness extends; the connector isconnected to the electrode; and the sealing portion is arranged to coverat least a space between the connector and the initiator main body. 5.The initiator according to claim 2, further comprising a sealing portionfor covering the connecting portion, said cap having an opening at a topthereof through which the harness extends outwardly.
 6. An inflatorcomprising the initiator according to claim
 1. 7. An inflatorcomprising: an initiator including an initiator main body, a connectingportion attached to the initiator main body, and a harness fordistributing power connected to the initiator main body via theconnecting portion, and a hooking portion formed on an outer surface ofthe inflator, said hooking portion hooking a middle portion of theharness in an extending direction.
 8. An airbag apparatus comprising: anairbag and the inflator for inflating the airbag according to claim 6.